Paradise VII: More than Words
by Dakk Tribal
Summary: If there was ever a time for Cloud and Tifa to work out their relationship, surely their time alone on an island would be perfect, right? Well, for Cloud the road to finding happiness is bound to be a rocky one / Cloud Tifa fluff, maybe lemon in later chapters
1. Chapter 1

Cloud opened his eyes and was immediately hit with the light that made the white stand out in the room. He sat up, his muscles aching with every movement, and after cracking his neck he made a stunning discovery.

His chest was bare and not only that, but under the covers he was bare everywhere else as well. The blonde felt really awkward all of a sudden, and who could blame him? Waking up in some random room with white walls and red carpet, and wearing nothing at all? It like some sick joke and he had fallen for it, though he was still waiting for the punch line.

'I was in a rain storm...soaked to the bone and Tifa..." his eyes went wide with fear and worry for his childhood friend. 'Where is she?!'

He felt movement on the bed next to him, and when he turned his head. Then he wished he hadn't.

He saw the still sleeping form of Tifa Lockhart, her dark auburn hair was loose and spread out as she lay on her side with her bare back to Cloud's eyes with the covers of the bed covered her up to her chest but something told Cloud she was nude as he was.

That presented another problem altogether.

He tried not to, but the idea that Tifa was naked got him stirring and feeling hot. He tried to fight those thoughts but he couldn't help it, even as he mentally held back. He scrambled to get out of the bed and ended up falling off the mattress and landing on his back. He landed with a loud thud.

He recovered and sat up just in time to see Tifa shoot up in the bed, her hands raised like she was in an impromptu brawl. "Come at me!"

She looked around and after not seeing anyone she rubbed her eyes, "The hell happened..."

All the while Cloud tried to remain still and not have her see him.

Too bad his prayers went unanswered. Tifa looked around the room and immediately locked eyes with Cloud, who was kneeling on his side of the bed his face as red as an apple and the lower half of his body where Tifa couldn't see him.

"Cloud...what's going on? Why are you-"

She stopped as Cloud looked away, the blush on his cheeks growing to encompass all of his face, "I'm not the only one..."

Tifa wondered for a few moments before she looked down, her buxom chest covered only by thick strands of her hair. "AHHH!" She covered her chest with her arm, the undersides of her breasts were still visible, "What the hell is going on!?"

Cloud sank below the edge of the mattress, unsure of what to do. The least he could do was save as much of Tifa's modesty as possible.

Tifa remained sitting on the bed, looking around for her clothes. She noted the small table nearby that didn't have anything on it. She then noted a closet facing her side of the bed. She moved her legs to the edge of the bed and had her back to Cloud's side. "Don't look."

He didn't say anything, and she hadn't threatened him like she would have had it been anyone else. Tifa felt sorry for Cloud as he remained out of sight.

She stood up, taking the blanket with her as she walked over to the closet, hoping there was something she could use to cover herself better.

Too bad the closet was empty. Defeated she went and sat down on the edge of the bed, the blanket still wrapped around her. She was growing angrier by the minute, "Whoever did this better be ready for my Dolphin Kick the next time I see them..." She looked over her shoulder and saw the Cloud was still on the floor. How she could tell was the spikey points of his blond hair stuck up past the edge of the bed. "You alright, Cloud?"

"...starting to feel a chill, but other than that, I'm fine," he replied softly. "How about you?"

"Don't know if I should be pissed off or worried about catching a cold," Tifa replied, and none of it was meant as a joke. What she didn't tell him was that she was also starting to feel a cool chill in the air, and it was affecting her noticeably. Goosebumps along her flesh and a tingle on her chest and her feet were starting to get cold despite the warm sunlight coming in from the open balcony doors.

Speaking of which...

"Cloud, where are we?"

"Sorry to keep you waiting, kupo!"

Cloud sat up, his head over the edge of the bed and Tifa turned towards the far end of the room. A moogle came into the room pulling a small silver cart behind it. "Hello, my name is Mogette, and I will be your servant for your stay here at Mog's Resort."

Tifa's question had been answered, now there was room for the next one.

Cloud saw Tifa begin to move and quickly lowered himself to lay on the floor. Tifa stood up with the blanket still wrapped around her body, but she wasn't able to cover herself all the way as the entire length of her back was bare. Still, she was not happy, and the moogle seemed oblivious to the seething woman approaching her.

The moogle turned after removing the lids from the dishes on her cart, and it was then she finally noticed Tifa staring down at her, face red with a kaleidoscope of motions but mostly rage.

"K-K-Kupo!? can I help you, kiss...?"

Tifa nearly growled, "Where...are our clothes...?"

The moogle shook with fear, "K-Kupo...on the shelf under the cart..."

Tifa turned her head to the cart and saw two piles of clothes, neatly folded and cleaned. She grabbed Cloud's clothes and tossed them to him before grabbing her own. Without another word she tossed aside the blanket and made a mad dash for the bathroom, slamming the door behind her as she did.

Cloud sighed and started to get dressed. It took him only a few minutes to get dressed, wearing his black leather outfit with the Fenrir emblem on the left side of his chest.

He walked around the room as the moogle managed the meal on her cart. She didn't say a word as she did her duty.

A few minutes later did Tifa re-emerge, fully dressed and with a bit more pep in her step. She wore a tight white top and black shorts. Her limbs remained bare of accessories. "That's better. Now, onto another mystery..." she looked at the moogle, who instantly hid under her cart when Tifa came back. The young woman shook her head, remembering her attitude from earlier, "I'm sorry about earlier, Mogette, but can you tell us where we are?"

Feeling the weight lift off her wings, Mogette came out of hiding and floated in the air, "Mog's Resort...it's a private getaway secluded from the rest of the world. It's a quaint little paradise made for couples, kupo."

Cloud and Tifa exchanged looks of wonder.

Cloud took a step forward, "A secluded paradise..."

"...for couples..." Tifa blushed again at those words.

The moogle seemed to glow, "Yup! Now help yourself to some breakfast, kupo!"


	2. Chapter 2

'Secluded…'

That word echoed in Tifa's mind while she ate her breakfast, which she ate at a comfortable pace. Alone on a tropical island sounded like something off of a soap opera television show, and yet here she was with her childhood friend in an actual paradise.

Speaking of her friend, Tifa looked over to see that Cloud was sitting at the table; he had finished his meal earlier than her, and seemed to be deep in thought. He did that on a regular basis.

The little creature was quite happy from the way she floated about cleaning up the table as Tifa finished her cheesecake. Such a dessert was a luxury back in Edge, so she tried to enjoy it and take her time eating it. However, as the hour for breakfast was up Mogette had to get her cart back to the kitchen before her next duty was to begin.

"So, kupo, have you decided what you want to do on the island, kupo?"

Tifa swallowed the last of her cake and gave her plate to the moogle, "Yeah, since we're here we might as well enjoy ourselves, right Cloud?"

Cloud gave a small smile, though he kept quiet. He was processing all the new information about the island. It was a secluded island, tropical (the humidity he was not liking, even though he wasn't outside and it was breezy), and that it was run by moogles. Such a place could exist but being here…felt otherworldly to the young man.

Of course any odd feeling he had disappeared when he saw Tifa go to the open doors that led onto the balcony. She seemed ready to go.

"I'd like to go out but…" Tifa turned and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Though she wasn't in direct sunlight, the humidity still got to her. However, that wasn't the real problem she wanted to address. She turned to Mogette who was just finishing her clean up, "Hey Mogette, I'm going to need an outfit change before I go out there."

The moogle nodded, and Cloud listened intently. Mogette floated to Tifa, her fear of the woman's wrath from earlier was all gone. "Sure, kupo! In fact we have a fitting room in the lobby downstairs. We should have something that will work for you, kupo!"

Tifa smiled appreciatively and addressed Cloud, "You're going to pick something out as well, right?"

"Would be really uncomfortable to be out there in black leather, right?" Cloud replied as he stood up. He then spoke shyly, "…you're gonna ask me to judge what you're gonna wear, aren't you?"

Tifa raised both her eyebrows in surprise. She hadn't expected Cloud to say that. She smiled and shook her head, "No silly. As much as I would like your input, I'm sure it would take us all day to go through what the resort has to offer. I'll just go down there and pick one I like and then meet you outside. That sound okay to you?"

"Sure," he replied, walking towards the door and Mogette had to call to him to let her go out first. He ignored her and went out anyway.

Despite his quick exit Tifa had gotten a good look at Cloud's face, which had been red as the moogle's pom-pom. She couldn't help but find it cute.

Cloud walked so fast to the lobby that it was almost a jog. The moogles were hard at work at getting the resort going for the day. Not too far from the main desk of the lobby was a store called "Mog's Wear and Gift Shop", and in the front windows were various assortments of beach related accessories like chairs, beach balls, and umbrellas. In another window there were showing off swimsuits, including some skimpy looking ones for women.

Try as he might and even with all his will Cloud imagined what Tifa would look like in such garments. He had never really thought about it until after Geostigma (when he had achieved his inner peace) but his childhood friend had grown into such a beautiful yet strong and compassionate woman. Unlike him, she had been true to herself while he had lived a lie. Though he had largely gotten over that entire trauma, Cloud felt he had wasted many a good opportunity to be happy with Tifa since he had defeated Sephiroth. Though surely now was one such time, now that he was with her on this island?

A moogle floated from inside and saw Cloud looking at the window. "Excuse me sir, kupo, can I help you?"

Cloud turned his head to the moogle, "I was—I mean, a friend and I were going to go out onto the island, but I need help." He turned his whole body, show casing the black fabric and leather outfit he wore, which was already starting to feel tight on his from the humidity. He didn't feel like explaining further but hoped the moogle understood.

Luckily it did. "Ah, no problem, kupo! Follow me."

A few minutes later Cloud came out of the store wearing black swim shorts that had wolf designs on them colored silver. He was pleasantly surprised that it had something he liked in his size, not to mention it was free because he was staying at the resort. He had been given a black tank top but he hadn't put it on, instead he slung it over his shoulder and went out onto the beach. The sun was out but as it was still in the morning it wasn't very hot, though the humidity was causing him to sweat a great deal already. Still he pushed through and walked along the beach until he heard another sound that got the better of his attention.

"Hey Cloud!"

Tifa called out from behind him, and Cloud stopped walking, took a deep breath and readied himself before turning around. His childhood friend ran up to him and like him she was dressed appropriately in a rather snug two piece bathing suit that was colored charcoal black. The top was like a sports bra with a large wide V that showed off the inner curves of her breasts and had thick straps that went over her shoulders and a silver clasp that held it together between her breasts. All in all it was a rather conservative suit for Tifa, who never did this sort of thing back home. Vacations were rare for her due to expenses.

Giving a small sigh of relief Cloud nodded at Tifa, "You did find one rather quickly."

Tifa shrugged her shoulders before she put her hands on her hips, "To be honest I was surprised they got one I liked. I'm not a fan of the more revealing outfits and I was not going to go into the bikinis on a trip like this." She smiled, catching Cloud looking at her with an approved look. He thought she looked better with not showing too much even though her cleavage was nearly exposed. This was not her fault as the top was being pushed to its limits.

Cloud looked towards the jungle, trying to not stare at Tifa's chest for her sake. "I don't want to be out on the sand right now. Mind if we go deeper into the island? Get out of the sun for now?"

While Cloud tried to keep her modesty in check he didn't notice how Tifa let her eyes wander. Cloud's toned upper torso was making her appreciate the fact they were on an island retreat. As for Cloud's request, she thought about it and was glad that he wanted to stay outside. She nodded once, "Sure. In fact I overheard the moogles saying something about a waterfall near the center of the island. Let's go there for today."

Going from the beach to the waterfall was a simple trek, though unlike the beach where the wind was constant the jungle provided no such luxury with its thick vegetation and so Cloud and Tifa suffered the extra heat on their way to the waterfall. Signs along the trail let them know if they were going on the right path.

The instant he felt the air cool was when Cloud knew they were close. That and the loud sound of the water also helped.

Going down a slope not too far into the jungle, the waterfall came into view and Tifa couldn't help but express her awe. Cloud couldn't blame her. The waterfall was very tall, the lagoon where the water fell was shaped like a circle with rocks partially submerged in the water with a large smooth boulder in the center. The rocks that were in the lagoon formed paths from one side to the other.

Tifa made it down to the lagoon first; her skin was covered in goosebumps going from the humid jungle to the more cooled lagoon. A thin mist formed from the waterfall and her skin as well as Cloud's became damp. Tifa started to go across the rocks towards the large boulder in the center of the lagoon. She got there and waited for Cloud to follow.

He was checking out the water, the lagoon was about knee deep and it was cold. He didn't want to go to into it if he could help it. He went to join Tifa in the center and she was lying on her back on the smooth surface, basking in the warmth of the sun that was overhead.

The boulder was taller than Cloud was and its surface was smooth and at an upper angle. "Wow, this is…beautiful," she said in a low voice.

Cloud leaned on the rock, his elbows resting on the surface. Tifa was open about how she felt about this place and yet Cloud hadn't spoken a word about it. He always had trouble expressing himself with either actions or words, but Tifa usually knew what he was thinking and acted accordingly. It helped having someone that understood him is around him right now.

"Cloud…what are you thinking?"

The young man raised his eyes and saw that Tifa was lying before him with a playful look on her lovely face as she looked at him.

"Huh?"

"You got that look again. Thinking too much isn't good for you, you know."

Cloud sighed, he wasn't going to argue. "Just wondering if I can enjoy the time we'll have here with my current state of mind. I mean, it feels like I am holding us back and well, I'm afraid that we won't enjoy ourselves before we have to leave."

The brunette before him rolled onto her back and crossed her arms over her chest, "Cloud, we have seven days to enjoy ourselves. With that in mind I'm not asking you to totally unwind before the first day is even over. Take your time, and I will help you if you want it."

Cloud nodded once and he relaxed a bit, realizing that Tifa was right and that he shouldn't have to worry about that right now.

Tifa tapped his chest with her hand, "Though just do me a favor and smile more, okay? I'll enjoy this place more if you do."

Taking the lady's request to heart, Cloud gave a small smile, and Tifa seemed satisfied.


	3. Chapter 3

With the setting sun came the call for everyone to return to their rooms, and that included Cloud and Tifa.

Cloud kept quiet on the way back to the room, but Tifa had to ask aloud, "I thought there weren't any monsters on the island, why is there a curfew?"

A moogle had followed them back to their room, a dinner cart in tow, and he was happy to answer, "Mr. Mog has this thing about people staying out late, especially on the first day of a seven day stay, kupo. He tends to let up after that though."

Not totally understanding that logic Tifa nonetheless accepted it.

As the moogle got their dinner all set up Cloud took a seat at the table. He was slightly dirty from the time he had spent in the jungle and Tifa was slightly wet from the waterfall. Both were still in their swimsuits too, but luckily for them the moogle had them covered.

There were two small piles of clothes on the table, one black and one white, labeled with their names. "These are your night clothes, courtesy of Mr. Mog, kupo."

The white pile had Tifa's name and she took it in her hands, "Well, I guess I better take a shower while I can. I'll be right back."

Cloud nodded once and she smiled at him as he let her go first.

After Tifa had gone into the bathroom and hearing the shower turn on Cloud sighed loudly. The moogle noticed his obvious anxiousness.

"Sir? Something wrong, kupo?"

The former-SOLDIER shook his head, "Just...trying to figure out how to have a good time here." His anxiousness was not because of himself, mostly. Though he had spoken about it with Tifa earlier he still couldn't shake off his lack of enthusiasm for being on the island. He was on an island in god knows where, and the fact that he was staying for free in a fancy resort meant little to him. He didn't want Tifa to be bored because of him; he sincerely wanted to have a good time with her. It was just hard to get out of his shell.

"Hmmm...Well, the island does have a wide assortment of activities you can try while you're here, kupo."

Cloud raised his mako blue eyes to look at the creature, "Got any that are...well, mind blowing? Something you could never forget no matter how small it is?"

Though it was tough to tell, the feeling Cloud got as he awaited the reply gave him the idea that the moogle was smiling.

About ten minutes after she had started Tifa got out of the shower. Tossing her swimsuit into a clothes basket she proceeded to change into fresh undergarments, but stopped short of putting on the clothes that the moogle had given her. Not because she didn't like what she got, she was just surprised at what she got.

'A night dress...'

It was a white nightgown, not unlike the ones she had worn as a child and hadn't done since then. Being a bit tomboyish in her own right Tifa had always slept in a t-shirt and shorts at night and had never looked back. Now, due to the fact that she didn't have her own clothes with her on this unexpected trip she felt a bit uneasy.

Still that didn't stop her from trying it on at least. She'd let Cloud decide how it she looked in it. She didn't even look at herself in the mirror before walking out of the bathroom.

Cloud was still sitting at the table. The moogle had left a few minutes earlier, and so Cloud was the only one to see her when she walked out. His expression was expected by Tifa, having never seen in his childhood friend in a gown of all things.

The length of the dress reached her ankles and left her shoulders bare, and as an added bonus of sorts showed off a decent amount of cleavage that Tifa seriously tried to ignore and hoped wasn't distracting. The only saving grace for the dress was it wasn't made of sheer fabric that allowed anyone to see through it, especially when she didn't wear a bra for the sake of comfort. "How do I look?"

Cloud's cheeks glowed for a moment, which Tifa thought looked rather cute, and for a few moments more he was speechless. "Umm...you look great."

Tifa appreciated the compliment, though she could sense he was a bit uneasy at the moment.

For a few moments there was silence before Cloud got up and gathered his things and went into the bathroom for his shower.

Tifa sighed lightly and went to sit down on the bed.

Cloud's shower lasted slightly shorter than Tifa's, and when he came out he was dressed in a black tank-top and matching sweatpants. He approached the bed and it was then that he realized a whole other problem they had to deal with.

How were they going to sleep with only one bed?

Cloud came up with a quick solution. "I'll sleep on the floor..."

Tifa however wasn't having any of it despite him trying to be the gentleman and let her have the bed. "Don't be that way, Cloud, just be mindful of the space and I'm sure we can share."

Rubbing the back of his neck bashfully Cloud still seemed apprehensive, but he gave in. "Long as you're okay with it..."

Tifa pulled the blankets back and climbed into bed, with Cloud joining her right after. Almost a foot of open space was put between them.

Hopefully, Tifa thought, there would be less by the time the vacation was over.

* * *

A/N: it's been awhile since I wrote anything, so I will show some signs of rust, but I hope to add a chapter to each of the "Paradise" stories before the month is over. A crossover chapter is planned, I just don't know when I will submit it.


	4. Chapter 4

Cloud's eyes fluttered open at the sound of clanging metal and the sound of a nervous moogle.

"Hope I don't wake them...it's already miserable outside and the last thing I need or want is cranky guests, kupo."

'A moogle...must be time for breakfast...' thought Cloud as he suddenly felt the sweat literally pouring from his forehead as he lay on his back in the bed. Not just on his forehead either he was slimy all over, though the only saving grace to that is that the blankets were scattered on the floor. He must have discarded them sometime during the night. 'Damn it's muggy.'

He tried to sit up but found he wasn't able to and he quickly saw why.

In a total reversal from yesterday morning Tifa was asleep partially on top of him, her head resting on the left side of his chest while her body was against his side. Her arms were wrapped around his midsection.

The irony wasn't lost on the former SOLDIER. If this was how the day was going to start he wondered how it was going to end. Thoughts ran amok in his head but the humidity is what bothered him and while he didn't mind her Tifa wasn't helping the situation. Cloud felt like a furnace already. He spoke loud enough for her to hear, "Tifa..."

It was only after the second time he said her name did the young woman stir, raising her head to look him in the eye. Her long hair was disheveled and stuck to her exposed skin. She greeted him with a yawn, "Morning Cloud."

She proceeded to sit up on her knees and he followed her up, and it was then that the moogle finally noticed the two.

"OH! Hope I didn't wake you, kupo, but breakfast is ready."

Tifa looked back at the moogle before stretching her arms over her head. "Thanks. Man the air is terrible..." The nightgown she wore was sticking to her skin, mostly on her chest where the shape of her breasts were accentuated by the fabric. She failed to notice Cloud trying not to stare.

Instead he got out of the bed and went to the balcony doors. He opened them and was hit with a blast of warm air. 'So much for cooling off...' he thought before he looked back at Tifa. She got out of bed and went over to the table to begin her meal.

Cloud eventually joined her and the moogle presented them with fresh waffles in the shape of chocobos and moogles as well as a small cadre of cereal to choose from.

"Might want to watch how much time you spend in the sun today, kupo. The humidity is killer today."

Tifa sat down in her chair, she was already showing evidence of how humid it was. Though she was mild when compared to Cloud. He was dressed all in black after all. "So should we stay inside if it's that bad?" Honestly she didn't like the idea of being stuck in the resort when there was still so much of the island that they hadn't seen yet.

The moogle shook his head, "There's only one place on the island where the sun shines and yet it remains cool, kupo. The lagoon located in the center of the island, right next to the waterfall."

Tifa turned to Cloud and he seemed interested. It was better than being indoors all day. "I think we can handle that."

The woman smiled appreciatively.

That is when the moogle added to his offer. "Good, because there's a massive storm on the way and you'll be forced to come back before it gets here, kupo."

Finishing her drink Tifa set her glass back on the table. a storm approaching would explain why it was so damn muggy. "A storm?"

The moogle nodded, "You should be able to see it from the beach, but first, eat your breakfast while I retrieve your swimsuits, kupo. You get all new ones for today, so enjoy yourselves, kupo."

True to the moogle's words there was a storm approaching the island. Cloud immediately saw it the moment he exited the resort and went onto the beach. All he saw was a massive black wall cloud with occasional flashes of lightning in the distance. Though he was hot he felt a chill go up his spine at the sight.

Not a chill of fear, but uncertainty. He sighed, thinking he should enjoy himself before it arrived.

And Tifa was going to make sure that he did.

"Cloud!"

The blonde turned and saw Tifa approach. She wore a black and white two piece bikini, similar to yesterday only one huge difference. The top was a strapless bandeau top that was snug holding back her assets. Not only that but each step Tifa took made them jiggle slightly and it took everything in his power for Cloud not to stare.

How tight the top was on her was not lost on Tifa, it had been a bit of a squeeze in putting on earlier but she was determined to make it work despite the consequences. Still, she found it cute in how Cloud tried not to look. To help him along she crossed her arms over her chest as she approached him. "I found the path to the lagoon."

He appreciated it. "Good. We better enjoy ourselves before that gets here." He nodded towards the storm.

Tifa's eyes widened slightly at the sight, "Wow..."

Still, not wanting to have the whole day ruined Cloud was determined to make the best of it. He turned to Tifa and spoke, "Let's go."

Smiling lightly Tifa nodded before she led the way off the beach.

The path that led to the lagoon cut right through the jungle and down a slope towards the center of the island. The lagoon itself was an impressive sight to behold. A waterfall that reached high into the sky and a pool surrounded by rocks and water that was ankle deep in most places. A path of rocks led into the center of the pool where a large flat boulder was place. The flat side was large enough to fit people on, and from what the moogle had said it was a popular sunbathing spot due to the sun's rays being less scathing.

The beauty of the place was not lost on Tifa, who skipped across the rock path towards the center of the lagoon. She waved to Cloud as he walked slowly down the slope. "Cloud, come on!"

The blonde ran down the hill and came to a stop in the ankle deep water. It was a pleasurable feeling after a run through hot sand and now dry dirt. "I'm on my way, Tifa."

He eventually caught up to her as she began to relax on the flat rock. For a moment Cloud thought he saw Tifa adjusting her bikini top by pulling it up to cover her chest more. He stopped in time to hear her complaining.

"Those moogles I swear, I appreciate them giving me a suit to wear but this one is not working…"

Deciding to keep his thoughts to himself Cloud sat down on the rock and right after her wardrobe adjustment she sat down next to him. Bringing her knees to her chest Tifa looked up at the sun shining down from above. "This feels familiar, don't you think?"

Looking up at the sky Cloud instantly felt the familiarity she mentioned. Staring up into the sky, just the two of them alone without anyone else to worry about.

"Feels like back in Nibelheim..." he said softly.

Tifa nodded, "Right, except we're not kids anymore."

"Definitely, but things haven't changed much between us since then, save for the obvious," Cloud said before crossing his arms over his chest.

Tifa lowered her chin, "You kept your promise, remember?"

Cloud honestly couldn't believe that Tifa remembered that promise. 'She still hasn't forgotten about it? Ha, her memory is better than mine.' A promise of going to Midgar and joining the elite fighting force known as SOLDIER. Not only that, but also become famous and rescue people. Especially when Tifa was in trouble he'd come running to her rescue. Oh how much of that didn't come true. He tried to join the group but failed miserably and instead became a lowly foot soldier of Shinra. He never became famous and he never rescued people-except Tifa that is. Just once. So in the end he had fulfilled his promise in a way. "I can't forget it. How can I? It helps me remember how much of my life was a lie."

Feeling bad that she made him remember a painful memory Tifa apologized. "Sorry. I didn't mean it in that way..."

Not wanting to ruin the moment starting to form Cloud shook his head, "It's alright. Even though it was a lie, it all ended up better in the end. A few ups and downs in between, but alright after all."

Smiling brightly as the sun Tifa giggled, "Right..." She then returned her eyes to the sky and leaned back on the rock.

The waterfall behind them formed a rainbow that arched over the entire pool and from her angle Tifa could see it. She pointed to it and Cloud saw it.

"That's pretty, isn't it?" she said.

Nodding once Cloud lowered his arms and after a few seconds of looking at the rainbow he turned back to Tifa. He had a burning question he wanted to have an answer to, even though he was extremely embarrassed to even think about it. Still, he gathered his courage and opened his mouth. "Hey Tifa, can I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

"Please don't take it the wrong way but..."

"Cloud, you can ask me anything. Don't hold back," she said, encouraging him to get what he wanted to say to her.

Taking a deep breath Cloud let it out, "How comfortable are you wearing that?"

His face turned as red as a Bomb and it would have been funny had Tifa's face not done the same. Of course he was talking about her swimsuit, which hugged her chest for dear life. She had expected something from the conversation they had before but this was another thing entirely.

Absentmindedly Tifa lowered her chin to look down at her chest. She didn't know what to say.

Feeling like he was the biggest idiot in the world Cloud turned away, "Sorry but I just thought you looked rather uncomfortable and...I..."

Though he had started the conversation the blonde had stumbled at the starting line and fell face first in the dirt.

There was silence between the two for a few moments. The sound of the waterfall behind them kept the silence from being awkward.

"...it is rather tight," said Tifa nervously.

Cloud turned back to her, partially glad she had responded to him. "I was thinking...if you wanted to we'd go get you something better to wear..."

He finally confessed his reason for asking out of the way he waited for her answer.

In all honesty Tifa was touched by his consideration for her physical well-being and how she felt, so in turn she decided to use it to her advantage. "You don't like me wearing it?" She smiled mischievously. Adding to the fact that she put her shoulders back and forced her chest to jut out. Such a sultry action could only produce one reaction from a man like Cloud.

Cloud's face became redder. "Uh well you look good but I just uh damn!" He turned away unable to respond without saying gibberish.

Tifa laughed, "I'm kidding. I wouldn't mind wearing something else, but we won't be out here long enough to worry about it, what with that storm coming and everything."

Cloud had forgotten about the large storm coming. "Right..."

But that was when Tifa added, "I forgot to grab towels before we came here. Mind going to get a couple?" She had brought this up out of consideration for Cloud. Maybe getting him away from her would calm him down. Then maybe she could tease him again later. Such a thought made Tifa feel giddy all inside.

Cloud jumped at the option. "Sure, but you going to be alright alone here?"

Shrugging her shoulders Tifa laid back on the rock, "We're alone here, I'll be fine."

With that Cloud got on his feet, "I'll be right back."

"See you in a few," said the woman as she closed her eyes.

"I'll hurry," those were the last words Cloud said before he took off running.

Tifa sighed and began to relax.

Little did she know that she was being watched by mischievous eyes watching her with malicious intentions.


End file.
